All Things Yesterday Left Behind
by The FireFox
Summary: All the other organoids had an anicent Zoidian, except for Shadow. But what if Shadow himself was incomplete. A stranger in the shadows plans to use ancient legends to threaten Zi once again. And all this is connected to Thomas's find.
1. The Girl in the Capsule

Fire Fox- Hay readers! I hope you all like my Raven fic!

Raven- Every one loves me. Can't get enough of my...

Fire Fox- SHADOW!!! He is just sooo cool.

Raven- Shut up, stupid fox-girl.

Disclaimer: I, Fire Fox, do not own Zoids. *Shifty eye glance* Yet.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

I deicate this entire story to Ely. For helping me out with the chapters and encouraging me to continue with it. Thanks much Ely.

****

NOW

THE FIRE FOX RECENTLY PRESENTS:

__

All Things Yesterday Left Behind

Chapter One: The Girl in the Capsule   


_Loss and possession,   
Death and life are one.   
There falls no shadow where   
There shines no sun._

Thomas watched the men fan out in different directions. He wished, now, that he would have stayed back at the base, instead of volunteering for the expedition. The newly discovered ruins weren't as exciting as he had hoped. And they certainly weren't helping to take his mind off a certain blonde.

Now that the Hiltz and Prozen had been taken care of, Dr. D had found time to research his favorite hobbyhorse: ancient Zoidains.

Thomas looked around the depilated ruin. The structure looked like it could cave in at any minute. He wandered how safe this was, Dr. D had promise it was harmless, but than again Dr. D wasn't exactly a saint.

Thomas decided to explore the northern part of the ruins. He imagined how proud he would make his family, no the Empire, no Fiona, if he discovered something…well he wasn't quite sure what he would discover. But it would be something very important.

Thomas finally came out of his daydream of finding a monumental something. A something that changed the coarse of civilization. A something that he would go down in the history books for finding. A something that would impress Fiona enough that she left Van. 

"Only in my dreams," sighed Thomas.

Thomas looked up and noticed that he had not only lost himself in his dreams, but also lost in the ruins.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Shadow watched Raven stare at the stars. Raven was still searching for answers. Even after the Zoid Eve battle and Ryss traveling with him, he wasn't satisfied. Raven still seemed to be suffering from his plague of questions.

"Aren't the stars beautiful tonight, Ryss?" asked Raven as the two sat together alone looking up at the night sky.

Shadow watched the two from a distance.

"Rgggghhh," (The stars won't answer, Raven) Shadow roared to himself. Shadow had never particularly liked the stars; well that is to say, she had never liked the stars. The stars had never held any comfort for her, only a reminder of what she would never know.

Shadow watched Raven and Ryss . He knew more than Raven credited him for knowing. He understood many things the other organoids didn't. He understood the need to be loved and love in return. He understood that the rhythm of life and the cadence of death. He understood that rage was stronger than sorrow. He understood hate and apathy. He understood bitter success and sweet failure, the reasons of heart and mind. 

He couldn't quite grapple Raven's need for revenge, but he did know loyalty. So Shadow followed Raven, his master, anywhere Raven commanded. If Raven looked to the stars for answers, than so would Shadow. Shadow would sacrifice anything for Raven. For Shadow, the sunset and rose on Raven's whim.

Shadow knew about love well as he watched his master and the strange girl. He knew about a lot of things, he could answer Raven's questions. All Raven had to do was ask, but he never did ask Shadow. But Shadow still knew; how could he help it? She had known many things and learned some. So by her blood did Shadow know.

Shadow continued to stare at the two. Raven didn't understand. Shadow grew restless as the blue haired girl walked by him. She smiled at him. Shadow knew all to well that the blue haired one understood who and what he truly was. And that was something Shadow wished he didn't know.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Great, Beek, you got me lost. Where are we?" asked an annoyed Thomas. "This is just great. How could I, the noble Thomas L. Schubaltz get lost in some old, musty ruins."

The winding corridors of the building all looked the same to Thomas. No matter how hard he tried to get un-lost, he only seemed to go deeper into the skeleton.

Thomas shivered as a gust of wind blew from somewhere in the hulk of the building. 

"The wind has to come from somewhere. So there must be a way out! I am saved!" Thomas reasoned as he ran in the direction the wind came from. 

"beep beep beep," came a sound from Thomas's computer.

"What do you mean I shouldn't be running around in the ruins?"

"beep beep beep."

"I'm clumsy? Beek, I have a good mind to delete you! Besides, what could I possibly…" Thomas didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as he tumbled over some cords and fell on the ground.

"Beep."

"Shut your hard drive, Beek. Now where did these cords come from? I mean who would just leave them laying around for no reason?"

"beep."

"What do you mean 'they had a reason'?"

"BEEP," the computer replied tiredly.

"What capsulllee….ohhhh. That one in the corner," Thomas remarked.

Suddenly the pod began to pulse dark light. First it started off slowly, then faster.

"What did you do, Beek?" 

"BEEP!"

"Fine, what did I do Beek?"

"Beep," the computer managed to reply as the shell exploded sending glass flying everywhere.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Shadow raised his head. He thought he had sensed something. But what that something was, Shadow was unsure. It had come from the west. What could possibly be a danger from that direction? Nothing existed in that area for centuries. 

Zeke and Van where located someplace in the Empire and Hiltz and Ambient where no more.

Shadow continued to stare in the direction where fluctuations had started. Whatever it was it was powerful. The throbbing continued. It seemed to be steadily speeding up. Shadow was puzzled at what it could be. Only ruins existed in that direction.

Shadow stood up and looked over to where Ryss was sleeping. For some reason, he didn't want her or Specula to know about it. Shadow silently growled, as she seemed to waking. Specula was probably alerting her to the strange aria. 

Shadow followed the invisible waves with his head. Suddenly he tensed up. He remembered it. It was familiar. It song of the past, his past. He knew from what…or whom this strange opera originated.

Shadow slowly tilted his head as if to see the notes from which the music sprang forth from. Shadow softly crooned as if trying to comfort a hurt child as he thought about things that happened over a lifetime ago.

He stopped as a figure walked up next to him and smiled in the dark.

"So, the game begins again. I wonder…"

"Rggghhhh," (People's lives are not a game. You, of all people, should know that what is beginning is not a game.) Shadow growled. He spread his wings to remind the Ryss how powerful he was.

Specula appeared in front of his mistress and growled a warning to Shadow. Cold cobalt eyes stared back at the azure organoid challenging him. Shadow let loss his own growl.

"Shadow, Ryss, what is all this about?" demanded an irate voice.

Shadow tore his gaze from Specula and gazed into Raven's eyes, trying to tell him everything, answer his questions in a single glance. Shadow then continued to stare down Specula.

"AARRRRGGGHHH," Shadow roared as the unheard euphony reached its peak. Shadow reared his head and leaped at Specula.

"Shadow!" yelled Raven.

Shadow stopped at Raven's command and looked at his master. Never had Shadow denied Raven. Shadow only stared at his master. And walked away.

Raven watched Shadow stalk away. Raven just didn't understand Shadow's current behavior. Shadow never seemed to want anything except to please him. 

Raven sighed as he watched Shadow fly up to the GenoBreaker's head and curl up with his head in constant visual of the west. 

"Don't worry about Shadow, Raven," soothed Ryss. "There is no telling what goes on inside that organoid's mind."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing at all," smirked Ryss, "it is just that of all the organoids, your Shadow is the one that was…umm how shall I say…not assembled right."

Raven replied quietly, "There is nothing wrong with Shadow."

"Of course not, lover," was all she said as she walked away.

Specula looked at Raven strangely and cocked his head as if wanting to ask Raven something. 

"What?" barked Raven.

Specula jerked back his head as if he was confused about something, and then left on hearing his mistress's call for him.

Raven was left to himself. Again he sighed as he looked to the west hoping to see or understand what Shadow was watching from atop of the GenoBreaker. 'There is nothing wrong with Shadow,' thought Raven as he gave up trying to figure out what Shadow was waiting for and walked back to his bed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Fire Fox- Was it any good? I hope it was. 

The quote under the title was said by Hilaire Belloc, just so ya know. I'll usually try to give credit for quotes and stuff, unless it is something really well known. Like 'it is better to have loved and lost...' ect...You should know that I did NOT come up with that.^_^ Damn that Shakespeare. 

Well, I hope to get some comments, it makes me fill so good when I do^.^U

I love Raven. See ya .


	2. Shadow Play

Fire Fox- :hiding behind Shadow: See! I am updating! I am going to finish it!

Raven- About time!

Fire Fox- That's enough outa you. Okay, I have been busy, but I am finally back. You will learn that I am a very irregular updater^_^U. Sorry, but if you want, e-mail with a nice review . Sound good to you?

Thanks for all the nice reviews! 

I dedicate this chapter to Ely, whose frequent reviews helped motivated me to get this next chapter out. Thanks a lot Ely!

Disclaimer: Okay I sent an e-mail to Tomy offering ten dollars for all rights to Shadow and a buck fifty plus a pack of gum for Raven. Now I just have to wait.

****

NOW

THE FIRE FOX FINALLY PRESENTS:

__

All Things Yesterday Left Behind

Chapter Two- Shadow Play*

__

*Shadow play- a play produced by showing to the audience only the   
shadows of actors or puppets on a screen

Glass shards were sent flying across the room from the force of the capsule breaking. An arctic wind seemed to flow through the room emanating from whatever was inside of the capsule as the glass continued to rain down.

Thomas managed to avoid any serious harm from the glass shower. He shivered as cold wind easily tore through his military garb. The building groaned under the force of the cold storm.

"Where is all this wind coming from?" Thomas coughed as the wind was bringing life to dust that had lain dormant for untold years. 

"Beep."

"Don't get smart with me, Mr. AI,"

"Beep, beep."

"Ohhhhh," Thomas said looking back over at where the capsule used to be located.

The wind finally died down and the dust began to settle again. A spark of light began to emerge from the coils of wire and vines of cable. 

Thomas squinted against the blinding light, trying to make out what it was. The spark began to grow into a star of light as it pushed its way through the maze of broken glass and technology. 

"It looks like a pendant of some sort," Thomas commented to no one in particular.

"Beep."

Thomas ignored the computer's smart remark as a figure followed the pendant. The ornament was glowing too brightly for the figure to appear as anything except a heart of darkness.

It followed the small ethereal ball of light as if attached to it by an invisible chain.

Suddenly the bitter wind began to pick up again with greater force than before, creating a miniature tornado of dust and memories within the confines of the room. The figure and pendant was the eye of the storm. Reality seemed to swirl around the light and figure.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Shadow could fell the force being awakened even though he was miles away. He knew Specula could, too.

She was awakening. Shadow could fell it in his core.

Something not of this land was being awakened.

Perhaps Shadow would have cursed if he were able. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Van woke to notice that Fiona wasn't in bed with him. He turned and saw her at the window staring into the night sky. Wet, black velvet blanketed the land with only a stain of white. All the stars were totally muted, only the moon remained: that was what made nights here so romantic. 

Everything seemed to hang in the air: the humidity was so thick.

"Fiona, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Van. Go back to sleep."

"Fiona, tell me," Van's command held a touch of concern.

"I just thought…oh, it's nothing."

"It's not nothing or you would still be asleep."

"Well," the blonde whispered, "it's just that…"

Fiona felt a sharp rush of energy spear through her. She doubled over in pain. She had never felt anything so raw and agonizing rip through her frame. Her blood seemed to freeze in the pain, despite the humidity of the place. 

Van jumped to pick Fiona up and to see what was wrong with her. But before he could get to her everything made of glass broke for miles around.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Suddenly without warning, the zoids and organoids began to roar. Everything within the camp made of glass shattered under the sheer power the noise. 

Raven looked up from the meal cooking over the fire in confusion. While it wasn't out of the ordinary for Specula or Shadow to roar without apparent cause, but it was for the GenoBreaker and Ryss's zoid. 

Raven could sense no particular reason the zoids would be upset. They often didn't seem to care one way or another. Raven furrowed his brows in frustration.

Shadow's bellows could be heard well above the rest.

Raven looked over to Ryss. She seemed as confused as he was.

Shadow looked down at the blue haired one between his cries. She didn't seem so surprised to him. Did a smile lurk behind the shadows of her face, or were those shadows of shadows?

All Raven had to do was ask.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

A blue-gold flurry kept coming at her. It kept breaking through her barriers. It shouldn't have been able to amount to anything. But it kept coming at her. She was powerless to stop it. 

Again the same blue gold flurry was being propelled to her, though this time another red one was with it. She couldn't understand why such nothings had been capable of hurting her twice. Now she had the most powerful body known to Zi, and yet the flurry kept persisting in bringing her down.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

The wind howled louder as images of the past kept seeking out the center of the storm. The building groaned louder under the stress.

"What's…what's happening Beek?" Thomas stammered.

"Beep."

"Well, excuse me if I am wrong, but you are a computer and should know these things," Thomas replied matter-of-factly to Beek.

"BEEEPPP!"

"Well f…." Thomas's reply was cut short by the ground crumbling out beneath him and rocks falling from the sky.

Thomas fell to the ground unconscious. The last thing he saw was the small pendant of light, which seemed to be the only thing suspending the figure in the air, shoot out of the ceiling and the figure fall to the ground motionless.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Beek slide across the floor. It dearly hoped that the rock lord would have mercy on its hard-drive.

Beek's censors picked up Thomas's steady breathing. Well, the rock had apparently only hit Thomas in the head, figured the AI, the densest part of the human anatomy.

Beek's censor's than picked up another human like creature by the busted up pod.

'Hey! You! Pod girl! Get up and save me…oh yeah, and that blonde headed guy too!'

Muddy brown eyes struggled with memories that weren't hers. She blankly looked over at from where the noise was generating …the annoying noise.

'Yes YOU! Are there any other pod girls in the building?'

She walked like smoke over to the noise, oblivious of the stones falling around her. Her boots clacked on the wintry stones of the room. They seemed to crumble way to nothing as soon her foot lifted up from the ground. Death sulked around her. 

She walked like this reality might suddenly melt way to a different one, not sure where if her steps would land on the stone of the collapsing building or in another time.

'Now pick me up and walk over to the blonde man.'

The girl silently did as she was told without question. The stones seemed to fall everywhere but around her. Beek downloaded the information for future use. Thomas, undoubtedly, would be very interested in his find. _'Well maybe she will keep his hard-drive off Fiona.'_

She managed to heave Thomas on her back and still hold on to Beek. But she seemed to sag under the weight of Thomas. While the falling rocks seemed set against smashing her, he doubted the stones had any objections against flattening Thomas into a laptop. Or him into a pocket organizer.

Beek was very glad the girl had listened to him, unlike a certain person he could name. Beek suddenly realized he had complete control over the girl. She would do anything he told her. His circuits happily fried with thoughts of the possibilities.

'Bwhahahahahaha…turn right at the next turn,' commanded Beek as the building dissolved in the girl's wake.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

A bright light burst forth from a dying building. Winds howled. Suddenly he saw eyes. Dark eyes. A voice said that he needn't be afraid, but the eyes seem to say _'You should be.'_

Suddenly a mirror appeared before him and he saw a girl emplace of a draconic reflection. He tilted his head in question.

The girl reached out of the mirror and cupped his muzzle in both of her hands. She laid her face on his.

The mirror broke into thousands of pieces. The pieces scattered across the vast eternity of time.

Shadow woke up from his sleep. He realized he had dreamed. He hadn't dreamed since... He looked to see Raven waking up also.

He didn't have to wonder what it meant. He knew that much. Even Ryss knew what was happening. Raven should ask him about such things, but he never did. It was ironic really. Raven looked to the sky for answers, yet he need not look further than his own shadow.

Raven was still searching for something. _'But didn't he know that he was the best,' _wondered Shadow. There was anything Raven couldn't do. Raven was the best. Raven would never fail at anything.

The stars sparkled coldly that night. Every now and then a stray cloud tried to mute their song, but it never worked for long. _Perhaps there are things even Raven won't be capable of._

Shadow never considered the stars' theory. What did they know of Raven? Up in their immortal heaven?

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Fire Fox- Sorry for not updating soon. I liked the first chapter better. Well I look forward to all reviews.

I think this chapter might have been somewhat confusing, so if you have any questions feel free to ask. I will answer.

Kitty-Yasha- I got that question from someone else. No, 'she' was some girl with a previous connection to Shadow^_~ You know 'SHE' never liked the stars. Shadow is referring to some girl from his past. Sorry if I confused you! I probably should have italicized it.

HealerAriel- Thanks for the review...kinda. Yes, Orlando Bloom will be ours! 

Amrun- Thanks for the compliment...I must say I never got a review like that! So thanks for the grammatically correct review...I only hope this chapter pleases you also!

Black Fireball- STOP CALLING ME THAT!!!

Red Comet- That goes for you too!

I love Raven. See ya .


	3. God's Tears

Fire Fox- Okay...here I am with another chapter. Hopefully now that it is summer, I can update more regularly.^^. The keyword being 'hopefully'. On with the fic. I am just going to apologize right now of it being so long. Eight pages^_^U Sorry. But my notes took up a lot of room this time.

This story is dedicated to Ely. Thank you so much.

Disclaimer- I haven't heard back from Tomy yet. They are just intimidated by my master negotiating skills. Yes, Shadow and that other dude will be mine. 

****

NOW

THE FIRE FOX FESTIVELY PRESENTS:

__

All Things Yesterday Left Behind

Chapter Three- The Gods' Tears* _  


What sorrow is there that is not mine? Country lost and husband and children   
Glory of all my house brought low.

_

Beek recalled the information it had been processing for the past couple of hours on the return trip to the military base. Thomas was in need of medical attention. Of course, Beek figured wirily, he probably needed it before the whole trip.

But Beek had been searching for any information that might pertain to the girl and her zombie state. Zombie was the only term that adequately described the girl. She didn't move, sleep, or probably think without an order. Beek couldn't come up with any known information helping with the girl's problem.

Even Dr. D's research was almost useless concerning Thomas's find. Fiona, a.k.a. Alisi Lynette, at least had everything but her memory when she emerged from her pod. But Thomas's girl didn't. She just stared.

For all his hard-drive, Beek couldn't conclude anything about the girl besides her physical appearance. She was about five foot five with her boots on, probably only a little more than five foot without the boots. 

'It seems that high heels are timeless,' Beek told the Dibison and storing it under miscellaneous data.

'So, it appears,' the Dibison retorted in steady notes as it continued on the course Beek had downloaded. Beek decided that Thomas's condition was urgent enough that they had better not stick around to make sure the rest of crew where okay; well that, and the whole building crumbling down.

'Ask the other zoids if their pilots and others are all right,' demanded Beek.

The Dibison sent out low frequency to the other zoids. 

Each zoid species had its own trademark frequency. For example, a Dibison's tones were deeper and richer than a Rev Raptor's tones. And each Dibison had its own personal pitches, distinguishing it from all the other Dibisons. Almost exactly like fingerprints, accept with pitches and tones.

'They say most people are okay. A few are unaccounted for, but most have only minor scratches and bruises. The parties' zoids where particularly happy to know that Thomas is alive,' the Dibison said in steady tones, with pride creeping in. Thomas was much beloved by the zoids themselves if not their pilots.

Thomas's Dibison had a lower, deeper tone than many, but at the same time it was more soothing and gentle. Beek wondered if extended exposure to the same pilot affected the zoid's tone.

Beek returned his sensors to the other passenger. She had dark hair like the color of dried blood that fell past her shoulders. Dark eyes which just stared at the passing scenery without much brilliance- muddy brown was an accurate description. She wasn't thin or overly fat. Ivory skin was a sharp contrast to her clothes. She wore a sleeveless battle suit of rusty red with dark gold designs barely visible. In contrast, a gold bird, which Beek identified as a phoenix, was sewn on top. Its head reared back in a battle cry, tail flaming, and wings covering the middle of her upper arms. Under its wings were a single red band on each arm. Dark gold tape-like material ran up to her elbow. Rusty red gloves adorned her hands. Her calf high boots were black. Truly she looked like something sinister and powerful.

'Do not worry, small thing, all will be all right. You will see,' the Dibison said to its other passenger. 

'Will it?' she replied without emotion.

'Yes, you will see.'

'Will there be more zoids where you are taking me?'

'Yes.'

Beek's sensors almost melted with surprise. She had replied as a zoid would! No such thing has ever been done by a human. Dr. D would be very interested in Thomas's find indeed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thomas was about to call his 'find' back to him. When he realized that he hadn't ever asked for her name. Not that he knew anything about her, really, only the information Beek had provided them with. She never talked, only followed him mindlessly around when possible. Thomas smiled at the memory of when she had first encountered the idea of the 'males' bathroom'. A blush crept over his face. The guys had never let him forget that one.

It had been a trying time explaining to her about bathrooms and other things through Beek. And no telling what the A.I. told his girl when Thomas wasn't paying attention. Beek was becoming very possessive of the girl and that made Thomas worry. 

Thomas, though, couldn't really talk. He worried about her when she was not around. In fact, he had come to think of her as 'his' find. He made sure he was always present when Dr. D wanted to test her DNA or abilities. There was not trusting that old man. 

'Let her go. What harm could happen to her in the base? All the zoids are here to watch her, and I feel sorry for the person who would try to take her away from them,' Beek replied. 'Besides, you could probably use a shower.'

Thomas blushed even deeper, "Oh shut up before I turn you off."

'You wouldn't dare, dork.'

"Computer loser," Thomas called back. But Beek didn't even have a chance to reply.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I hate to call you on your honeymoon and all...but..." Dr. D trailed off, forgetting his well-rehearsed speech. He didn't know where to begin.

"Don't worry about Dr. D. We know it has to be important for you to contact us," Fiona smiled back encouragingly from the video phone.

"Well upon stumbling on some old documents, I decided it would be worth exploring the old ruins located near where Shadow was discovered."

"But they were called RUINS for a reason. That building was already about to fall! I can't believe you got military clearance to form a search party," Van sighed. It was not like Dr. D was interrupting anything important. Their hotel had practically been destroyed by all the noise. And Fiona had been acting strange since that night anyway.

"That's not the point," yelled Dr. D. "Obviously they thought it would be worth their while or they wouldn't have funded it!" 

"Well, what is the problem than?" asked Fiona tiredly. She wasn't really so keen on talking business on her honeymoon.

"It's what Thomas found," Dr. D. went on about Thomas's find as computer images flashed across the screen. "I believe she is from your time, Fiona, though her DNA doesn't match up exactly with yours. So it is logical to conclude she isn't an ancient Zoidian...or even from Zi."

"So she is like some kind alien out of a horror film?" asked Van.

"Yes, except she is human just not originally from Zi. From what I understand from research, a person from other planets moving to Zi was no stranger or unheard of as it is today. In fact, I have found records to believe that was more common."

"I do remember people moving to strange places I had never heard of. But I was so young when I was put in the capsule," Fiona said thoughtfully.

A picture of the girl in question wearing the uniform she had been found in flashed across the screen. Fiona burrowed her brows when the picture was shown. 

"Could you show that last file again when she was wearing that odd clothes?" Fiona asked.

"Well, she has that over you, Fiona," Van smiled as Fiona threw a questioning glance at him, "She at least had clothes."

Fiona pouted cutely as Van knew she would. 

"But there is something about that suit...especially the phoenix emblem that reminds me of a forgotten memory," Fiona struggled to see through the fog of her memory, "I can't say if it is anything bad or good...but I think it is..."

"You might also be interested in this video," Dr. D said as the video started to play.

Thomas was grinning goofily and waving at the camera and saying something that Van and Fiona couldn't quite make out. Then they heard Dr. D yelling at Thomas to get started. Thomas called the girl out. She was now wearing a dark green, long sleeved shirt with a long black skirt. Her hair blowing everywhere in the wind.

"What do you want to have her to do Dr. D?" yelled Thomas in the video.

"Have her make the Shield Liger run about a hundred yards than stop."

Thomas told the girl what Dr. D had said. Nothing happened except for Beek's flashing lights.

"She wants to know which direction, speed, acceleration, and deceleration," Thomas said with a sideways grin.

"I don't give a care!" yelled an exasperated Dr. D, "Left, 100km/minute, 30km/sec, and 25 km/s."

Thomas told the girl and nothing happened. 

Van just sighed at the thought that Dr. D had wasted thirty minutes of his honeymoon.

Then, on the video, the Shield Liger began to lurch forward and then stop. The video skipped to what Van figured must have been the last because there were three zoids now: the Shield Liger, a Saber Tiger, and a StormSworder. Suddenly all three started doing very intricate maneuvers without pilots.

"What in the world?" gasped Van. 

Fiona was still lost in thought. The girl seemed very familiar.

"That's why I contacted you guys. What is even more interesting is that under certain conditions, the zoids will override the commands of their pilots to follow her commands."

Van's jaw dropped in disbelief of what the doctor had said, "You must be out of your mind!"

"What conditions would that be?" questioned Fiona calmly. For some reason she wasn't surprised at all.

"Some examples are when the pilot and zoid haven't been together for long, when the pilot doesn't take good care of the zoid, or when the zoid and the pilot don't get along." 

"She would have been very help with the DeathSuarer incident," Van said musingly.

"She would make a very powerful weapon indeed," Dr. D said ominously.

"NO!" yelled Fiona surprising even herself at her heated response. "She is a living breathing person. Her free will cannot be enslaved just for the betterment of the military! She is not some high tech weapon to play with!"

"You don't have to worry about that from me Fiona," Dr. D smiled sheepishly. "Or the military's talk."

"You already tried didn't you?" accused Van. 

"Maybe. But it didn't work. Apparently she listens only to the person who found her and freed her. Or his stupid computer. Even the military tried. But once she figured out what was happening, well I won't say exactly what happened, but I almost feel sorry for those guys. She is more than she looks," Dr. D continued. "I might know more, but he wouldn't let me around her to long."

"Thank goodness it was Thomas who found her than...not some crazy idiot," mused Van at the possibilities this girl possessed. 

Dr. D chuckled at memories of Thomas trying to explain certain things to this strangers. "That's why I want you here. Van can help Thomas with her at times, and you, Fiona, can maybe help me find out more about her and help her find what she had lost."

~*~*~*~*~*~*

She continued following the melancholy music. It was beautiful in her grey world. Nothing seemed real, well almost nothing. She wasn't even sure if around the next turn the army base would still be real. It was an ugly place, this place of shadows. She wondered why the man and his zoid had brought her here. Was she to be used for their gain? What about that old man? Who was he? Why was she here?

'That's a lot of questions for one so small,' said the voice of the singer.

She looked up to realize she had arrived at the source of the song. It's silver body gleamed in the moon light.

'Who are you?' she asked silently.

Slowly and nobly, the Ultrasuarous bent is head down to the ground to look at her. She was so small, he thought ironically. He could squash her with his foot, but she could destroy so much. He felt the power of her awakening even back here at the base. He knew quite a lot about this prisoner of the land. He felt her scramble up to the top of his head and settled down. She crossed her legs than smoothed out her emerald skirt and gold shirt. 

'I am Charlie. I am an Ultrasaurous or so that is what they call me. But a rose is a rose by any other name, no?' he quoted as he slowly raised his head, making sure she would not fall off.

'What is a rose?'

'You are a strange thing, small thing.'

'Everything is small to you,' she said without emotion or care.

The Ultrasaurous just laughed in it's whale-like tones, 'That is true.'

After a period of silence she startled Charlie by offering some information on her own accord, 'I can hear them all, you know. Every single one of them if I chose to. I can hear them talking and their thoughts.'

'Well, that is something now isn't it.'

'It is something,' she replied without feeling. 'Did you know that a Command Wolf and a Redler in Guygolos are arguing over the correct pronunciation of caramel?'

'I did not know that,' the Ultrasaurous considered, 'What is your name, small thing?'

Panic spread throughout her, name? Her name? What was a name to began with? Something you identified yourself with...oh yeah. She felt like she was falling down an endless canyon at the question. She felt words flurrying through her memory. Finally she came across one word that seemed familiar to her. She didn't know if it was _her_ name, but its rhythm brought recognition in her heart.

'Hecuba.' 

'That is a sorrow-filled name, that it is. Can you hear the stars to, young thing? Like you hear us?'

She looked up into the sky at the stars and moon. She felt a pulling at the sight of them. She could feel them. She could feel their knowledge. Knowledge that would make her life so much easier if they would only tell her. But the stars never talked to her. Only twinkled in delight and laughter, as she tried to wade through life without drowning. 

But that was the irony of it all. That was what the stars said, 'Men will not swim before they are able.' Naturally, for they are not made for swimming endlessly but walking. They are made for living, not thinking. And the person who would be foolish enough to make thought his life will surely drown in time. No matter how far they swim, for they have traded the solid earth for water, and they cannot swim forever.

The Ultrasaurous could fill droplets of water fall on it's head though there was not a single cloud in the sky.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

****

Author's notes: okay here is where I explain some things. ^_^ Like the title of the chapter and the little numbers by certain things^_^ Yes, I actually have reasons for doing some of the things I do^_^ And I thought it would be nice for me to explain some of the subtler things^_^U

* Chapter Title- the title and the girl's name, Hecuba, actually go together. But first you must know a little mythology. 

Hecuba was married to Priam, the king of Troy and more importantly had a son called Paris. Well, most everyone knows about the legend of Troy and the Trojan War, spawning the widely known "Trojan Horse". But in case you don't know, I'll give a quick summary.

Okay, the three main Greek goddesses: Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite were having a beauty contest for the prize of a golden apple that said 'To the fairest'. Zeus wisely refused to judge the contest and told them to have Paris judge them. Being an idiot, Paris agreed. Oddly however, he wasn't supposed to judge their beauty, but the bribes each goddess offered. Hera promised to make him lord of Europe and Asia, Athena promised that the Trojans would defeat Greece, and Aphrodite promised him the most beautiful women in the world. Paris being stupid, as I aforementioned, chose Aphrodite's offer.

And in short, the most beautiful women a.k.a. Helen was already married to the King of Sparta. So Helen was stolen away. Well, the king wasn't to happy and a big war broke out, the Greeks finally won with the Trojan Horse. And the Greeks slaughtered every male and made captives of the women of Troy.

Hecuba's sorrow was so great at seeing her husband, grandchildren, and city dead that it was said to have even made the gods and goddesses cry.

And the little italicized part is a quote from her curtsey of Edith Hamilton's _Mythology_.

1 - Queen of Troy before Greeks destroyed it. Her sorrow was said to make even the gods and goddesses cry.

Actually, I got that whole paragraph from Hermann Hesse's _Steppenwolf_, which I do NOT recommend for light reading. Of course I paraphrased it, but just wanted to give credit where credit was do. I am sure Hesse won't mind considering he is dead. But I will say his was much better. 

And Charlie did quote Shakespear...but hey...old Willy is univerisal..^_^U

Please review

Amrun- Thanks for the compliment^_^

Blackie- THAT is ironic^_^U Just joking^_^ Sorry...Fiona is still alive^_^ So don't go getting any ideas! ^_^ hehehe

Starheart- Thanks^_^ I'll try to update quicker next time^^

Thanks for all else who reviewed. Well, that's it for now. I'm out like a fat kid in dodge ball.

I love Raven. See ya. 


	4. Illusions of Reality

Fire Fox- Well, it's almost time for final to begin. Stupid finals. No more goofing off for a bit...but also no more blind dates *thinks of past blind dates and hides under blanket*.

Shadow- V.V

Fire Fox- You said it.

Disclaimer- I received an e-mail from Tomy, despite the language barrier they are decoding my message and having their lawyers discuss the terms...they will e-mail me at the end of this week.

**NOW  
**

THE FIRE FOX FETCHINGLY PRESENTS:

__

All Things Yesterday Left Behind

****

Chapter Four- Illusions of Reality   
_

Common sense tells us that   
the things of the earth exist only a little,   
and that true reality is only in dreams.

_

Ryss walked past the many corridors of the cave, knowing exactly where she needed to be. A person could get loss for eternity in this maze of doors. Some lead too nowhere but death...a sudden cliff or slope that would quickly end any unwanted eyes, or more precisely any unwanted mouths, from ever seeing the light of day again. Fortunately for her and Specula, she knew all the corridors and passages by heart now.

Finally she rounded the corner and began another maze through the stalagmites that had formed along the bottom of the cave. Some of the stalagmites where dyed a light pink, a few of the aforementioned cliffs where located right above this field. On the far east end of this so called field was a small passage almost invisible.

The passage was by no means roomy. She had grown use to hearing Specula's sides scrap through some of the narrower places. She finally arrived at the light at the end of the tunnel. 

"You are late," a voice stated.

"It took longer than I had expected to find the cave itself in the dessert. The land shifts so much."

"Very well, I hope this won't be a recurrence," the voice ordered rather than asked.

"Of course not my queen."

"I will let it slide this time, because I had some unexpected business."

"Really?" Ryss asked curiously. What unexpected business could she possibly have...in a place like this one's relatives or friends just didn't pop in for a spot of tea.

A boy emerged from the shadows of a rather large crystal and an organoid followed three steps behind. He smiled at Ryss. He was about five foot eleven with white hair. His right eye was green and the left blue. Ryss's eyes widened with surprise and shock at the sight of the boy, but than slitted with distrust when the organoid followed. The organoid could have been Shadow's double except it had bright green eyes and was the color of pure light.

"You see another card has found its way into the deck, the Jack of Spades."

Ryss fought three reactions at the knowledge: wanting to roll her eyes at the Queens' obsession with cards, wanting to know exactly who the Jack of Spades was, and resentment at having another comrade. 

'Well, whoever he is he must be important for her to assign him a powerful card like the Jack of Spades,' Ryss thought as she eyed her competition. She herself was only the 'Ten of Hearts'. The 'Queen of Diamonds' had her ways that even Ryss wasn't privy to.

"And your report?" droned the Queen of Diamond impatiently.

"All is going ahead of schedule. The Republic found the zoid and has almost finished excavating it."

"And the device?" the Queen asked wanting the real news.

"Specula planted it in the zoid's core where no one, not even Dr. D himself, would be able to find it. And no one saw a thing."

"Good. And from what Jack was telling me, the girl should be quite useful in finding the Ace of Spades," the Queen said with a smirk as her fingers played with a trinket on the chain around her neck.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Van was in the toughest battle he had been in for a while. Dr. D hadn't mentioned the fact that the girl was crazy or could actually pilot a zoid VERY competently. Of course it didn't help to have an organoid torn between taking orders from him and Fiona, Fiona yelling at him not to hurt the pilot, Thomas also yelling, and Dr. D just repeating how interesting it all was.

All that he was able to gather from Thomas and the old man was that Thomas was showing her the fundamentals of the Great Saber. When she had spotted the Blade Liger coming at them from the west, started mumbling something, and attacked the Blade Liger. Of course, he had been distracted with trying to stay alive when they were explaining it.

Van barely managed to dodge another blow. He managed a counter attack that created some distant between the two of them. While he wasn't allowed to use his weapons or seriously try to hurt her, she had no reservations about using her weapons or hurting them.

Van watched half amazed as she used the flying capabilities of the Great Saber to spin around in the air gaining momentum: she was turning his own attack against him.

"VAN!!" Fiona screamed. "Watch out!"

But it was too late as the Great Saber's paw came crashing into the Liger's head.

"I thought you said you had taught her hardly anything, Thomas!" Van yelled as soon as the Blade Liger quit sliding from the impact of the hit.

"Well, I had. I mean, I had just finished showing her how to start the Zoid," Thomas replied from the Dibison now only a few miles away.

"Beeep."

"Shut up Beek."

"What?" Van asked not understanding Beek.

"Nothing...just watch out!"

Van cursed his stupidity at being distracted again as the girl rammed into him, 'Only rookies get distracted on the battle field. And whatever...whoever she is, she is no rookie.'

"You will not hurt me anymore," the girl said. She had opened the communication lines. Van was taken back by her voice. It reminded him of winter. "Where you happy? But you know, happiness is only the intermission of pain and that intermission is over."

The Great Saber launched itself at Van. She was starting to attack too wildly now. Not the mechanical way she had earlier. 

She kept attacking like a person possessed by inner demons only she could see. Like she wasn't really fighting a battle here, but long ago. Van suddenly felt sorry her. She was lost.

"Zeke, there is only one way to end this." Van said determined as he lowered his blades ready for an attack.

"Van?" Fiona questioned softly.

"Honestly, there is no other way. Don't you see? She isn't fighting us or here. She is fighting in another time and place. She is lost in time."

"I know," Fiona said sadly and prayed silently for the girl.

Van watched with regret as his blades sliced through the other zoid. Suddenly Zeke shot at the Great Saber and landed a few miles away.

"What was that?" asked Fiona dazed.

"I have no idea," Van said.

"Miss Fiona...Van, you are alive!" Thomas shouted running up in the Dibison.

"The calvary has arrived," Van sniggered. "What's the deal with this girl anyway, Thomas?"

"I don't know," Thomas said thoughtfully as he, Van, and Fiona followed Zeke's path only to find Zeke staring at the unconscious girl.

"Does she even have a name?" asked Van as he did notice what looked like a bruise forming around her left eye.

"I've never asked," Thomas blushed as he checked the girl's pulse. Suddenly he turned the palest shade of white.

"What's wrong?" Fiona asked.

"I just realized something...." Thomas stammered. "That Great Sabre was my brother's new zoid."

As if on cue, the girl started blinking. She turned and looked Van squarely in the face. 

"Who are you?" she asked confused.

"I'm Van Freiheit and that is my Blade Liger," he said nodding towards the Liger, which looked like it had seen better days.

"Really?" she replied astonished. "You know, you should keep your...what did you call it...a Liger...in better condition."

Van just stared at her. And he continued to stare dumbfounded.

"What?"

Thomas grunted trying to repress laughter. The girl quickly turned as if she hadn't even noticed him before.

"I know you!" she exclaimed.

Thomas nodded and grinned at Van.

"You are Beek's man-servant...Tommy," she replied very proud of herself. "But when did you get here?"

Van did not even try to repress his laughter as Thomas's or Tommy's face fell.

"What?" she asked.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Shadow watched Raven pace to and fro from atop of the GenoBreaker. Raven was really worried about Ryss. She had just disappeared for five days now. She had never been gone this long before, and Raven was getting worried. Though Raven would rather die than admit it, especially to himself.

Shadow just watched Raven pace out his feelings from above. He let out a snort in disgust. He seemed to always get stuck with the emotional basket cases. The GenoBreaker shifted under Shadow in agreement.

Though, Shadow told the GenoBreaker, he was worried about the blue haired girl and her organoid too. But added, with what might be considered the equivalent of a wiry chuckle, for different reasons was he, Shadow, worried. She was up to something...something bad...and concerning that power he had felt...Shadow knew it with all of his little organoidy circuits. The GenoBreaker rumbled in amusement at his small friend.

Shadow looked up at the sun burning jealously in the sky. But jealous of what? What did she mean when she said that? The tip of his tail twitched. He knew the first time he chose to fuse with Raven that her memories would be destroyed. That had been the rule with all the organoids...your first fuse with a person MUST be with your master or the memories would be lost or transferred to the wrong person. 

But he had no choice to fuse with Raven the first time...it had been either that or let him die with the zoid, and Raven was his master. She would understand; she always did or at least pretend to. But that didn't answer Raven's question. Shadow did know where she was, Raven never asked him. 

Shadow figured some of her memories must have transferred to Raven, because Raven would wake up at nights with a cold sweat or mumble in his sleep. When the blue haired one questioned him in the morning, he would say they were only dreams and had nothing to do with his past. She never seemed to believe him, but that wasn't the point. While he may not be able to transfer her memories back to her, Shadow still had his own memories and some of hers.

Shadow suddenly tensed up, he could feel another organoid using its powers...all the organoids could sense when another used its powers. It was only the silver organoid...Shadow growled in contempt. _'Why should HE get to spend time with her when I, her organoid, haven't seen her for centuries?'_

Shadow woke up on the ground with Raven looking at him with a strange expression on his face. Shadow could tell that Ryss's words were playing through his mind, _'There is no telling what goes on inside that organoid's mind...it is just that of all the organoids, your Shadow is the one that was…umm how shall I say…not assembled right.'_

Shadow wanted to tell Raven everything. He wanted to tell Raven that he had sensed Specula near an Empiral base, another organoid was there too, that its energy was almost a copy of his own, a powerful zoid was being resurrected, and answer all questions, but he couldn't. She deserved that much and Raven never asked. If only he would.

Raven sighed sadly, erased all signs that the camp had ever existed and climbed into the GenoBreaker.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Fire Fox- okay, everything has been set up and the game has begun. Where does Ryss's place her alliances, what about Shadow, what is going on? All will be answered in the next chapter.^_^

The quote under the title is from Charles Baudelaire. That's all I know.^^;;

Please reveiw^-^

I love Raven. See ya .


	5. Deliver Me

Fire Fox- Okay, this is a good chapter.^_^ The first part of the Queen of Diamond's plan is accomplished and the GF doesn't even know about her! And new light is shed on her, the mysterious character and his light organoid. 

And by the way the Queen of Diamonds isn't an OC like you may think. I think it is pretty easy to figure out who she is, but than again I am the author. I have given two hints, as of this chapter, as to who she is^_^ But I'm not gonna tell you who she is. But I hope it is a surprise to most people when the time comes^_^ 

Disclaimer: I heard from Tomy the other day...I'm having my friend translate it for me as I type. Yay for free internet translation...which I suspect Tomy's lawyers used . .

NOW

THE FIRE FOX FICKLY PRESENTS:

**_All Things Yesterday Left Behind_**

****

Chapter Five- Deliver Me   
_

  
Deliver me, out of my sadness.   
Deliver me, from all of the madness.   
Deliver me, courage to guide me.   
Deliver me, strength from inside me...   
Deliver me, the cross that I'm bearing.

_

Dr. D studied the massive zoid that had been brought to his camp. It was obvious the zoid was from the times of the ancient Zoidian. Mainly because it had been found when the ruins where the girl, Hecuba, had been found. The discovery of the zoid had been made shortly after the building collasped. In fact the building had been built on top of the zoid.

The zoid itself didn't look to fancy. It looked like an enlarged Bear Fighter. The body was most likely based on the animal known as the Alaskan Grizzly Bear a.k.a. the Kodac Bear, the largest bear known to mankind.

'No doubt it has powers hidden within,' Dr. D thought as he examined the armor. Delicate designs were placed on the sides of the zoid's head. Designs akin to those on Hecuba's suit that she had wore when she came out of the pod.

That's why Dr. D asked her to wear it when she came over. Dr. D looked down at his watch, _'She should have been here before now. That's the last time I let one of girls take the Jeep.'_

"I'm here like you asked, Dr. D," a voice said from the door. "Though I don't see why I couldn't have waited for Thomas to get back."

Dr. D turned to face the girl and involuntarily took a step back at the sight of her. She had let her long hair down and her eyes were so dark, he couldn't repress the shudder that passed through his frame. She looked life times older than any girl had a right.

"What was so important that I had to ride with that blonde girl? I am still shaking for my life," her eyes smiled.

__

'That smile is out of place with the rest, maybe I should have waited for Thomas..oh well to late now. What's done is done.' thought Dr. D.

"Well, I was taking a look at this zoid's armor, and I noticed the designs matched your battle suit. And I was wondering..."

Hecuba smiled and walked around to the side of the zoid. She looked up at the side of the giant bear.

"I don't know how much I can help. I remember hardly anything. But yes the designs do match. So completely," she said thoughtfully.

Dr. D had an idea that might give an insight to the girl and the zoid. "Tell me, what does the design, a phenix symbolize for you? Life, passion, hope, beauty,what?"

Hecuba thought for a moment, "No. It stands for something different to me...you might think it a litte silly or strange."

"Go on child," Dr. D urged. Though it was ironic for him to be calling her child, since technically she was centuries older than him. She looked it now. 

"To live, to die, to be reborn- that is the order of the phenix. To be denied Heaven's sweet nectar or Hell's bitter fire. To be a prisoner of this land, never to escape. Not even in death. To lose the beauty that it, itself, symbolizes. Death and birth lose all meaning. They become events in a never ending satire. Even the immortal gods are only born once and die once. Though life may lose its flare, they still are able to revere birth and death. But to the phenix it means nothing. Everything becomes gray to the bird of fire. There is no hope for it." She paused in her long speech, "So I see the phenix as an irony." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Just a little closer and she will be in range," he told his companions as he watched the doctor and the girl talk. "You do know what to do?"

"Of course, I do," Ryss snapped. "It was MY organoid that planted the device in the zoid core in the first place."

He smiled as she had taken the bait. She was so much like her. He wondered why she hated that girl so much. He shrugged the thought off as he picked up his binoculars and started watching the girl again.

The Queen figured the girl would serve as a good distraction to the Guardian Force as they continued their work. He had been surprised when he saw how much of the weapon the Queen of Diamonds had built. It was a perfect replica of the original so far. She had done her research well. 

He had asked her why she wanted to do all this. She had been real cryptic and only stated that she wanted to carry on her beloved's dream. Well there was nothing like a woman in the delusion of love.

'Beloved...it's been a long time since I've been called that...' he let his thoughts trail off and turned as he felt an icy stare at his back. He turned to see Ryss staring at his organoid. It rumbled lowly in distress.

"Is there something about Opaque that displeases you?" he smiled like he did years ago.

"No. But why is he doing this? I thought..."

"I couldn't let it end like it did...without him saying anything in his dying words," he cut her off before she could say what he didn't want to hear.

Her eyes softened, "Ethan"

"NOW!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*

She had only taken a few steps closer to the zoid to get a better look at the designs while Dr. D had gone to the computer to turn off the locks that kept people from getting in the zoid and tampering with it.

It was then that the horrible pain flooded through her. She felt 'it' accessing her mind. She crumpled to the ground and covered her ears with her hands in an useless attempt to quiet the pain and voice. 

It was as if all the pain and suffering had found a voice inside her head. It kept demanding that she do what she was trained to do.

But she had long since made a promise to him that she would never do that...become a mindless killing machine. She had almost reverted back to her old training of mindlessly killing the first time she saw the blue Blade Liger. But the silver one now called Zeke had saved her from herself.

She remembered what she had done carrying out her training. She was a zombie. She needed the choas and fire that surrounded death and destruction. They brought a type of pure, wild ectasty that she couldn't live without. She was its slave. The monster within her fought to be released and the pain intensified. 

If she did what 'it' demanded, she would exist only to destroy. Not knowing or being, just killing. She simply would kill: mercilessly and completely. Her existence would be to share and inflict pain. And unfortunately for humanity, she was very good at it. She could get some sort of weird high off of the chaos that would burn in her wake. She wouldn't care about food, water, or anything. Only the choas that comes from war.

'NO!' her mind screamed.

'Yes.' the pain responded calmly. Soon all her walls of resistence would break. 

She didn't want to go back to that state. She would have much rather return to how she was before her battle with Van. Because the person Hecuba had promised that she would never walk this path again was long dead. 

Her own mental power flared bright in a last attempt to get rid of the pain, but to no avail. 'It' was just to experienced.

'The candle burns brightest before it goes out' was all voice said as everything turned black.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ryss wondered how well the device that the Queen of Diamonds had made would hold up against the girl. _'The Queen had said that once I broke her resistance, it should be able to keep her in that state'._

Ryss was amazed about how much thought the Queen of Diamonds had put into this 'distraction', because that was all the girl was- a distraction for the Guardian Force idiots to chase, so they wouldn't notice the Queen's own activity.

First there was the making sure certain information would fall into Dr. D's lap without revealing to much, making sure they found the zoid underneath the ruins, researching it all, duplicating the mind device with only ancient manuscripts, many of which were beyond ruined, and more. 

Ryss would have smile had she been able too. It had taken more power than she had thought it would. Ryss looked at Specula in worry. Specula's eyes seemed to be pale with exhaust. Of course, Ryss couldn't loan the organoid any power, because she was drained also.

She cursed as she realized she would be too weak to defend herself if Ethan or Opaque decided to attack her now.

However when she managed to look over at the pair, she saw that Ethan was leaning up against the rock taking deep breaths. He was just barely conscious. And Opaque was in worst shape than Specula. 

It was almost if they had taken the brunt of her psychic attack.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Half a world away, Shadow felt pain surge through him like he had never experienced before. He could feel the pain rise and fall and rise again. It was unbearable. Shadow didn't know how much more he could stand. Shadow fanatically looked around trying to find the source of the pain. 

Only seeing Raven and GenoBreaker, Shadow figured she must be experiencing pain. Anger spread through him faster than the pain. But the pain persisted. It was too strong. Shadow was angry at himself. He was to far away to protect her.

Shadow's eye sensors glowed brighter as he suddenly realized something. Quickily he turned what attention he had to Raven. Sure enough, what pain Shadow was feeling was flooding over to Raven. His master had doubled over in pain. Shadow braced himself and spread his wings. He wasn't sure if he would be able to function again after this act. But if he couldn't at least protect her, he was going to protect his other master.

Without a second thought, Shadow shielded Raven from the pain by taking more on himself. It was the only way. He hoped he didn't stop functioning because of this. She would probably tell him how stupid he had been. She would be right. But she would understand. Shadow hoped Raven would understand. 

Raven felt the pain ebb away somewhat. Enough to stand on his own, but the throbbing continued. He managed to make his way over to Shadow.

"Shadow?" he said uncertainly. He wasn't sure if his organoid could take much more. He couldn't bare the thought of losing Shadow again. It would be unfair if all he could do was watch Shadow struggle with an enemy he couldn't even see. 

Just when Shadow thought he would explode, the pain stopped. Shadow collasped to the reality of the sand on the ground. Everything went dark. Then the need for destruction arose within Shadow. That need had laid dormant for years. Then Shadow figured that whoever had caused such pain to his mistress had achieved what they wanted. Although, now she would be impossible to control, like wildfire.

That hunger for destruction burned deep within his circuits again. And all that stopped Shadow was his master shaking him and repeating his name.

"Shadow." _But something seemed wrong with name...it felt incomplete._

~*~*~*~*~*~*

When Dr. D returned from the lab, he found Hecuba on the ground. He rushed over to see if she was alright.

Slowly Hecuba managed to stand up, but something was different about her he noticed. _'But what could have happened?'_

She walked toward the bear zoid with deliberate movements. She walked in a straight line to the zoid, Dr. D catiousily walked over to the girl, hoping to distract her from whatever occupied her mind.

"So do you remember anything about it? Like maybe, the zoid's name?" Dr. D asked.

"Yes."

Dr. D felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand. Her voice was harder. It didn't take much imagination to figure out something was wrong.

"It was called 'The Cruncher'. And surely even you can figure out how it got its name. Or do I need to give a demonstration?"

"That's okay." Dr. D started to back away slowly, only a few more steps and he could call sercuity. But he would never make it as Hecuba turned to face him.

"Now, good Doctor, may I ask you a question?" In one swift movement, Hecuba closed the distance between her and Dr. D. She craned her neck so she whispered into his ear, " Have you ever danced with the devil?"

With an upper-thrust and a backhand, Dr. D was now the one who laid motionless on the ground.

"I always thought he was a perve, anyway," Hecuba said smuggily as she walked back to the zoid. She walked like a panther after a kill.

The zoid rumbled in amusement at its master. Now Zi would see how the Cruncher got it's name and the design of a bloody red phenix on its armor.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Fire Fox- Well there you go.^_^ Next chapter Hecuba and Raven will meet (Shadow will meet her, too). If you could call the Cruncher trying to rip off the GenoBreaker's head meeting.^^

The quote under the title is from Sarah Brightman's song 'Deliver Me'.

Contary to popular belief, the polar bear is not the largest bear. But the Kodac found on an island in Alaska^_^ Just so you know.

On a side note, I thought I would tell you the history of Ethan's name. Now I have no idea what Ethan really means. But I got his name from combining the Latin word 'excido' and Thanatos. Which should give you some insight to him^_^.

excido- [to fall out , fall away, be lost]; of words, [to slip out unawares, escape]; of ideas, [to pass from memory or thought, be forgotten]

Thantos-Means "death" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek god of death who resided with Hades in the underworld.

Please review

I love Raven. See ya .


	6. Dark Phenix Rising

FireFox- Wow, it's been awhile. I hope my reviewers have not forgotten me.

Raven- If they had any sense!

FireFox- Well, grayer to you Mr. Grouchie. But wow. It has been a long time!

Disclaimer- Okay...I've decoded Tomy's response. Apparently they are playing hardball, silly gooses! They want at least...that's right at least $39.68 for Shadow and for Raven $5.50, the gum, AND a pepperoni pizza.

NOW

THE FIRE FOX **FEARFULLY **PRESENTS:

All Things Yesterday Left Behind

Chapter Six: Dark Phenix Rising

"I am what was, what is, what will be--the Black Angel, Chaos-Bringer! I--AM--POWER!"

****

The desert wind blew at her hair. It found joy in waltzing in the bloody haze of her hair. The melodies in the air danced around her. They danced an endless waltz of death, life, and destruction with each strand of her hair. Each dance leaving her hair more of a mess than the last.

Her eyes saw nothing. All she knew is that she needed water if she was to continue fighting and killing. While the Cruncher had the ability to synthesize anything it could possibly need, she did not.

She found what she had been searching for. Hecuba stared impassively at the desert town below. The people were out and about. The town was sung of life, happiness, and joy. A wedding ceremony was taking place in the church. The bride shone out like a beautiful white butterfly. It's delicate light managed to shine through the black and red haze surrounding Hecuba, and for a second, she thought of turning around and leaving.

"This is enough. I won't do your bidding anymore. I am free of you. You don't rule me anymore! Your war ended centuries ago!" her mind screamed to the hollowness.

"Look at those fools enjoying themselves. Forget life, happiness, and joy. They have no place in this world."

"No!"

Hecuba fell on all fours as she waged war with a voice that even death hadn't been able to stop. She had been able to silence the voice once before, and perhaps she still had the strength in her to do it again even without her organoid.

"No!" her mind repeated to the empty air.

Raven walked through a wasteland. Chance was the only reason he was here. He had troubled sleep last night, so had let Shadow guide the GenoBreaker without any particular instruction. He left Shadow guarding the GenoBreaker as he explored this barren corpse of a town.

"What happened here?" Raven asked no one.

He kicked a charred remain of what could have been anything, but now it was nothing. Gravel littered the town like death. The town had been built on a huge rock to ensure stability in the shifting sands of the desert. It appeared the town would never know such stability again. Raven wondered at the power that could shatter such slate of rock into pebbles. It pulled at his being and called to his soul. He wondered if it knew the answers he looked for. He had destroyed many bases in his time with Prozen, but this was something beyond him.

"A bear attack, Raven."

Raven quickly turned around to identify the voice and unsheathed his knife.

"Van, what the hell are you doing here?" snarled Raven not putting his knife back.

"I should ask you the same question, considering Thomas and I are here on business. You were the last person I would expect here," Van retorted with smirk forming on his face, "Though this sort of thing, you would know more about."

"What do you want?" Raven huffed putting his knife up.

"Come with me and I'll tell you."

"You were suppose to warn me if any posing any danger showed up," Raven said looking up at Shadow on the GenoBreaker's head.

Shadow flew down next to Raven and looked him in the eye as if measuring his soul. Raven just stared back demanding an answer to his question.

Shadow airily growled, "Rrrrrroooorrr." (The Blade Liger wasn't with them. The Dibison was the only zoid of any attack power with them, and it was mainly equipped with tracking devices. Therefore, they held no threat to you.)

"Now I'm on some errand for the _great_ hero Van, himself," snarled Raven.

Shadow did not even bother touching that one. He knew Raven wanted see this zoid warrior and test his abilities against hers. Shadow felt the same feeling rise within the GenoBreaker. It wanted to test it's strength against the Cruncher's strength. The GenoBreaker and Raven were both so confident in their power. Her power was calling to their power, and it would be her force answering their force.

'What about you, small friend? What will you do if we find her? Do not forget who your master is now,' the GenoBreaker told Shadow.

'I KNOW,' snapped Shadow back at the GenoBreaker, 'Trust me I know, but I don't know what I will do. I can feel her and the Cruncher. But at the same time, it's not her entirely. I worry.'

'Worry? Raven is strong and so am I.'

Shadow just flew above them in the night sky asking for a miracle. The GenoBreaker was right: two people cannot share one shadow.

"I got a report back from Dr. D. The repairs to the Blade Liger are coming along on schedule, so in a few months you will have your partner back," Thomas told Van. "Where is Fiona?"

"Fiona is with Zeke helping the survivors of this town, which is change. Usually her work is complete," Van replied tiredly wishing he could wake from this nightmare. "She shouldn't be too much longer, there weren't many survivors."

"I would have never guessed..." Thomas trailed off not knowing what to say. He felt so responsible for all the suffering.

"No one would have Thomas, and no one blames you. You shouldn't blame yourself. The Hecuba we knew wouldn't want you to either. The person we are chasing after isn't her, but a distorted vision of the girl," sympathized Fiona.

She had just walked in from the hospital tents hastily set up for the injured. Fiona was sick to her stomach with all she had seen today; however, deep inside, she still believed that all she had seen wasn't Hecuba at all. She sighed knowing no one believed her theory about Hecuba. She truly believed it wasn't in Hecuba's nature to be cruel, but with so much evidence amounting against her there was nothing Fiona could do.

"Rrrggh," growled Zeke communicating the information he had learned from the black organoid earlier . (Her style is changing. Shadow believes she left the people alive for a reason. She wants them to suffer. He also believes she is lost, he agrees with you.)

Fiona looked up at Van on hearing Zeke's growl, "Raven was here?"

"Yes, and we need to get moving. There will be more damaged control either way. It was the only thing Thomas and I could think of. Raven has the only zoid left that might stand a chance," Van said, ashamed. "Of course, Raven wasn't too keen on being an errand boy."

"I think he used the term 'janitor', Van. He mentioned cleaning up your messes," Thomas said with a lopsided grin as Fiona half-heartedly smiled.

Who said the war between Van and Raven ever ended?

Fiona's eyes blazed with a inner spark, "Was Ryss with him?"

Raven was tired, grumpy, and most of all hungry. He hadn't thought cleaning up Van's mess would be so hard. He said to Shadow he never would have taken Van's offer if he had known. Raven realized he was lying to himself more than Shadow. After seeing the video of her fights with a few armies, Van, and Irvine, he wanted to see how he stacked up against her. However seeing what she did to their zoids made him more cautious than usual.

He cursed himself for letting some dwarf of a girl steal his money a few towns ago. It had been lean pickings since. He wanted his senses to be sharp, not dulled by hunger.

He piloted the GenoBreaker aimlessly through the mountain region where rumors of a monster had been popping up lately. This region of Zi was famous for it's iron-ore mines not demons. He saw a village girl sitting on a pile of rocks brushing her long wet hair in the sun. She was holding her head at an odd angle so Raven could not see her face. Raven decided there was something odd, almost alien about the girl in this scene. He shrugged the feeling off as a result of being hungry. Raven got out of the GenoBreaker and walked up to her.

"What are you doing out? Haven't you heard the rumors?" Raven said hoping for some new information from this strange girl. She looked out of place in the scenery for some reason. Raven decided she would look out of place anywhere on Zi.

The strange girl shook her head and continued to brush her hair. A pool of translucent water was forming around the strange child. As Raven turned his back to leave the estranged girl, she stopped brushing her hair.

"What do the villagers say haunt this forest primaeval? Surely one, as strong as you, doesn't cower at old wives' tales?"

Raven considered her voice. It sounded like she had never spoken before in her life. He could trace a bit of amused curiosity in her voice, though. It reminded him of someone, but who he couldn't say.

"They say a demon recently resides here. They say it is all powerful. It would no sooner think of yawning than destroying the world. I do not fear it or old wives; I have come to kill it," Raven said no longer believing her to be a village child.

Even the sun did not trust this strange girl-demon as the noon sun hid behind storm clouds. The sudden storms that only appeared on the shadow side of a mountain. The type of storm clouds that breaks with such force and unpredictability seemed only a minor shower compared to the girl. The wind did not fear her though; in fact it took delight in her.

She only laughed as she stared at Raven with one eye, "You would do well to fear it. Have you ever danced with the devil? Perhaps not. Perhaps you have yet to dance with something far worse."

She laughed more and stood up on the pile of rocks. She shook her hair free from her face and solemnly said, "You said you've come to slay me, and you do not fear. It's to bad that I can see past your simple facade into the fleeting terror that strikes at your soul. It's as fleeting as your life."

"RRRROOOOAAAAARRRR!" (For pity's sake, stop while you can. If you do not stop now your life will remain like this forever! Is that what you want?) Shadow growled fiercely at the girl.

The wind howled back far more fiercely. It threatened to smash Shadow against the rocks. Raven turned and stared at his organoid. A thousands questions were silenced by the earthquake originating around the girl. The world around her was crumbling.

She turned to Shadow and said, "Pity? Do not ask pity from me, my midnight love, for I have none."

Raven jumped back as earthquake intensified. The girl was sent flying into the air as a mammoth bear erupted from the mountain of rocks. It rose to stand on it's rear legs and thundered it's call at Raven and Shadow.

The girl neatly landed on the nose of the Cruncher. The wind roared back in unison with the Cruncher. It tugged and lunged at her hair. Raven could feel the power pulsating from the Cruncher. He thought back to the videos Van had shown him of her mercilessly destroying town after town, army after army, and Van's Blade Liger. He knew not to ask any mercy from her, because she had none.

He felt Shadow lift him up just as the Cruncher came crashing down to all fours. Shadow deposited him soundly in the GenoBreaker which had been hovering at the time. Shadow fused with the GenoBreaker waiting for the right moment.

The impact from the Cruncher could be felt in the nearby town. The townspeople looked to their ancient forest. The forest was surely older than time itself, it seemed. The forest had been around when the Deathsuarer was just a crazed idea by a deranged scientist. The forest was a symbol of perseverance to the townspeople.

The storm clouds spread to engulf the town as well as the forest. Darkness saturated land. No telling what fiery battles would take place in their forest on this day, the villagers thought to themselves. An old woman prayed as the rain came crashing down.

Raven stared in dismay as he fired his charged particle cannon at the Cruncher. The Cruncher had a weak force field around it which the CPC should have easily broken through it, but the shield remained intact. Instead of harming the zoid, the opposite seemed true. The Cruncher had fed off the energy. The phenix emblems on the bear zoid blazed from the heat of the CPC and the energy being created by the electro-magnets inside.

Raven called up his own shield just in time. The girl was manipulating the iron-ore in the rocks and sending them flying at Raven.

Raven fired the CPC again, but this time at the mountain above the Cruncher. He hoped that her magnetic disturbances would draw the avalanche to her and buy him some time to come up with a counter attack.

The Cruncher roared in distress as it was buried alive in the flood of rocks. Raven quickly called Shadow to power up the CPC again. Perhaps if Raven caught the Cruncher before it had it's energy sheild up to convert the power, the CPC would actually damage the zoid. He aimed at the grave of rocks just as the Cruncher raised out to the tombstones. Raven looked as the Cruncher came to its full height. It was almost as tall as the GenoBreaker when standing on two legs.

"You!" the piloted screamed from inside the Cruncher. "It was you that caused the blue flurry to penetrate my armor! If you hadn't, then it would have crashed against my armor. IT'S YOUR FAULT IT COULD HURT ME!"

Raven was confused by what she said; however, he did not let it distract him from the battle. It was the first lesson Prozen had taught him. In battle there was only winning or losing, and the battle must be won at all costs for losing brought worst things than war could. Raven never thought he would thank Prozen for anything.

However, the Cruncher did not stay on two legs for long. It repeated it's first appearance by dropping down to all fours. The impact from the force of the zoid sent shockwaves throughout the entire region even the mountains seemed to groan from the force of impact. The shockwaves hit the GenoBreaker with full force causing it to lose it's footing right when Raven was firing the CPC.

Raven cursed as the CPC only hit the right leg of the Cruncher. However it did do some damage to the leg as the Cruncher fell to the ground unexpectedly. Raven took this chance to charge at the Cruncher.

Raven's charge was stopped short as the Cruncher was again using it's electro-magnets. The GenoBreaker had hit a magnetic wall of energy. Raven could feel the magnetic force pulling at his zoid as the Cruncher raised to it's hind legs again. This time, however, it's left paw began to glow. Slowly, the Cruncher was drawing the GenoBreaker towards it as it's paw began to glow brighter.

The winds howled wilder than before. The storm raged uncontrollably now. The winds yelled for the girl to stop. They realized that whoever had held control over the girl for so long was about to lose it. Enough, the winds seemed to cry. Enough! They realized their waltz was soon to come to an end.

'You can tell the thunder, lightening, and floods enough, but you can't tell me enough!' the girl silently yelled back at the winds.

The GenoBreaker and Shadow heard this declaration from the girl.

Shadow growled slowly to his friend, 'It's only a matter of time now, old friend. Just hold on for a few more minutes and it will all be over.'

'Either way, yes, it will all be over in a few minutes,' the GenoBreaker answered Shadow as it felt the magnetic power flowing through it's circuits. It was literally trying to tear the GenoBreaker into two.

Raven got a sudden flash of inspiration. He lowered the GenoBreaker's head, so the horn would be pointing at the chest of the Cruncher. Suddenly, he powered up the jets to the GenoBreaker and managed to shoot towards the Cruncher at an amazing speed. Of course, the aid from the magnetic field pulling the GenoBreaker towards the Cruncher helped to slingshot the GenoBreaker.

Raven scored a direct hit, but the zoid core was buried farther back then Raven had thought. So while the attack had done considerable damage, it was not enough to stop the Cruncher. Raven braced himself as now it was the Cruncher's turn to attack and Raven was stuck in place.

The whole GenoBreaker shook as the strike laser claw came crashing into the back of it's neck. Raven could smell the metal being seared. Raven just dug deeper into the Cruncher's chest. The Cruncher in return dug it's teeth solidly into the back of the GenoBreaker's neck. Apparently the girl had rerouted the electricity from the electro-magnets into an electric bite attack. All weapons and censors were knocked offline by this attack save the CPC.

Shadow growled to Raven, reassuring Raven that his Shadow was still with him and would always serve him.

Suddenly a small explosion came from the base of the zoid core inside the Cruncher. Raven's attack wasn't deep enough to have been the cause, though. But the damage was still there. The Cruncher loosened it's grip on the GenoBreaker enough for Raven to dig deeper into its chest. He knew this was it as he charged up the CPC one last time. The Cruncher would not be able to protect itself at this close of range.

Suddenly, Shadow shot from the GenoBreaker and fused with the Cruncher. Shadow worked quickly as he located the small machine that had caused the explosion and had been controlling Hecuba. While, Hecuba was still fighting in a battle long ago past, the Cruncher had came to it's senses. It welcomed an old friend and told it to take good care of it's pilot. Shadow growled a sad apology to his dying friend, fused with Hecuba, and shot out right as the CPC ripped through the Cruncher's zoid core.

Shadow was thrown hard against the mountain from the force of the CPC hitting the Cruncher. He fell to the ground with a thud. 'This girl is more trouble than I remember,' Shadow growled to himself. She was finally his again. He had waited while Zeke had been able to spend time with her, but now she was HIS!

Raven came running, well more of limping and running combined, to see what had happened to Shadow.

"Shadow, what did you do? Are you...alright? Shadow?" Raven bent down to touch Shadow's muzzle.

Shadow slowly stood up to Raven's relief. Shadow was relieved also that Raven had finally gotten around to asking Shadow. Shadow gladly showed Raven what he had done as he unfused with Hecuba.

FireFox- AND SAVE! Yay! I finally updated Sorry guys, but I was hitting a roadblock with this chapter all along. I had no idea what to do with it.

I hope my scene with Raven and Van was believable. While they may not be enemies anymore, I doubt they are all buddy-buddy. It just seemed right that they should still 'fight'. Also, how was my battle scene? I've never really written one before, so I hope it's okay. I kinda just made things up;; I don't knoe much about zoid weapons and what-not.

Sorry again for the long wait! But hey, it was my second longest chapter.

Crimson Dragon- Yay! I understand about the cookie thing, ARE good! Please don't have a seizure! Here is the next chapter, I hope you enjoyed it!

Red Baronness- I hope you liked this one too.

Ely- Thanks for the wonderful review! I promise the next chapter will be out sooner...well sooner than seven months I always look forward to your reviews.

Starheart- What exactly is your definition of soon?;;

Caliet- I'm glad you like my fic! I like it too

Palin1- I love your reviews also! And yes, I did think the phenix thing up myself...I's clever that way...just joking. It was a rare moment. Well, I hope this chapter is good also, and you's still around to review it.

I love Raven. See ya.


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